KUALA LUMPUR – Due to high costs, the RM1-per-night accommodation for cancer patients and their family members run by social activist Kuan Chee Heng, better known as Uncle Kentang, has been reduced from eight houses to three.
Until last year, he ran eight such houses for needy patients coming to the Klang Valley for medical treatment, but high operational costs have led him to focus on three houses in Putrajaya and Puchong for those receiving treatment at the Putrajaya Hospital or the National Cancer Institute.
“It costs around RM4,500 a month to run a house; RM2,100 for rental; RM400 for maintenance; about RM1,000 for cleaning bed sheets and others; and RM1,000 for transportation to and from the hospital,” Kuan told Scoop.
Kuan, 61, who has run these homes for seven years, hopes for assistance from the public as the cost of renting out and managing these houses has increased in the last few years.
He also welcomes help from companies and non-governmental organisations.
The houses in Putrajaya and Puchong are temporary accommodations for patients and their carers who cannot afford hotel stays when they come to the city for treatment.
“My target is patients and their families who travel from outstation and have to stay here for long periods to seek treatment. It could probably be for months. These people can’t afford to stay in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. It is very expensive.
“To me, I’m happy and content that I can help people who can’t afford it. Cancer treatments, as we all know, are not cheap.
“Their income may also be affected because of this. They deserve all the support and help they need,” he said.
His RM1-per-night houses receive patients and their carers from all over Malaysia, but mostly from Johor, Perak, and Pahang. Many stay for a month.
On top of this, he also pays RM50 per night to those who opt to stay in 3-star hotels in the Klang Valley.
Apart from providing a place to stay, Kuan has other RM1 initiatives, such as ambulance services, hearse services, and free prosthetic legs and spectacles.
All these are detailed on Kuan’s website, where information on how to donate is also available.
He also runs a RM1 marketplace, whereby used items such as clothes and electronics are collected and sold for 10 sen to poorer neighbourhoods, such as People’s Housing Programme residences.
“My biggest achievement was when a mother was able to attend her daughter’s convocation, wearing the blouse, skirt, scarf, and shoes that she had bought for only RM0.90.
“She told me she was happy she could dress well for her daughter’s big day,” he said.
Kuan’s biggest hope is that other Malaysians will also be encouraged to do something kind for one another.
“I just want to spread kindness. It goes a long way for people who have gone through a lot.
“There are three things that can unite people: sports, food, and kindness. Not everyone likes the same sports and food, but everyone likes a little kindness.
“God has blessed us with a beautiful country, so let’s make it a nice place for everyone and be kind to each other. I wish to see kindness in each and every Malaysian,” he said. – January 21, 2024